DOL and DOC Release Joint Employer Guide for Skills-First Hiring

What happened?

On November 13, 2024, the Department of Labor (DOL), in a joint effort with the Department of Commerce (DOC), published a guide designed to motivate employers to use skills-first hiring practices and encourage them to do so to build a better, qualified workforce.

Overview:

In collaboration with the DOC, the DOL has released a Skills-First Hiring Starter Kit. This guide is designed to help employers adopt skills-first hiring practices, focusing on a candidate’s skills, knowledge, and abilities rather than traditional degree qualifications.

• The Skills-First Hiring Starter Kit released helps employers focus on a candidate’s skills and abilities rather than traditional degree qualifications.
• It provides practical steps and strategies for implementing skills-based hiring practices to improve hiring processes and employee performance.
• This initiative is part of the broader Good Jobs Initiative, which promotes quality recruitment practices and aims to provide economic opportunities for workers who may face barriers due to non-traditional educational backgrounds.
• The agencies caution that seeing the benefits of this approach can take years.

Additional Details:

Skills-First Hiring Guide Details:

• The guide aims to educate private employers, especially those new to skills-first hiring, on the benefits of hiring based on skills, knowledge, and abilities, regardless of how they were attained.
• It includes practical steps for identifying job skillsets, evaluating skills, recruiting, hiring, and onboarding, leading to quicker hiring processes, improved employee performance, and increased retention.

Implementation Steps: The agencies incentivize employers to think deeply:

• Understanding the Purpose: Employers should understand the benefits of skills-based hiring, such as quicker hiring, improved performance, and increased retention, and track and share results.
• Identifying Core Skills: Determine essential and desirable skills by asking about the purpose, required skills for success, and skills that can be learned on the job. Use public resources to identify relevant skills and create a scoring tool for evaluating candidates.
• Consistent Evaluations: Screen for skills by listing experiences or credentials that demonstrate relevant skills. Use multiple evaluation methods like structured interviews, hands-on tests, simulations, role-playing, and written tests. Ensure evaluations are accessible to expand the talent pool and avoid miscommunications.
• Recruiting: Write job postings in plain language, prioritize skills, invite applicants to share alternative learning experiences, and inform them about the hiring process.
• Hiring and Onboarding: Focus on the candidate’s skills, value those skills in pay, and create inclusive workplaces to ensure success.
• Reflect: After the first skills-based hire, evaluate what worked well and what could be improved.

Source References

• DOL Press Release

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